Viva La Revolution
by 2p-talian
Summary: "I grew up only knowing fear. To whomever finds this journal, know this. We are born and raised in hell. This was a time where humans were at the bottom of the food chain and they were the top. Sure it's a cruel life, but it is mine." A prequel to another story I wrote called The New Age. To read it, go to my profile. Warning: contains mature content in later chapters of the story.
1. Devil's Playground

**This is actually a prequel to another story that I wrote called, The New Age.**

**Please, don't forget to review, favorite, and follow this story. It really means a lot to me and it helps me to know that you actually want me to continue writing it. Thank you. I**** hope you enjoy the story.**

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><p>I grew up only knowing fear. To whomever finds this journal, know this. We are born and raised in hell. This was a time where humans were at the bottom of the food chain and they were the top. If they said the word, you were killed on spot. Sure it's a cruel life, but it is mine. Or at least, it was mine.<p>

A long time ago, this land was called Europe, more specifically, Italy. It used to be home to millions of people. Now we are about as scarce as the food here. The entire population is starving, it is a miracle we have survived this long. Most humans died out years ago, leaving only a few of us to scavenge for ourselves. Some say it was a revolution that killed the people, others believe that the government created a disease so deadly it wiped out 70% of the earth in a matter of weeks. Sadly, we learned that both of these were true. Now, there is only 1% of the old population left throughout the world. The few of us that are left live in villages, completely covered in dust, garbage and remains from an old forgotten civilization.

My home at the moment was a small, 3 bedroom shack, with a tiny kitchen and sleeping area. the floors were dirt and it was rare to find good wooden furniture. Most of the time we used scraps and built chairs and tables ourselves. The outside was nothing but piles of garbage. Sheets of metal littered the ground, along with shards of glass and splinters of wood. The smell outside was overwhelming with human filth. This was the worst possible to environment to raise a child. We called this part of the city The Devil's Playground. There was a nicer part of the city with actual houses, plumbing, and air conditioning, but you had to be born into wealth in order to live there.

You might question, what would force us all to live in such terrible conditions? What you need to understand, is that my world was run by someone... special. Someone who isn't entirely human. They were called countries, because to us, that was who they were. Whatever happened to them, seemed to happen to everything around us. For instance, when our country grew ill with the disease, so did the people. The worse off he got, the more people started to die. The governments eventually fell, and the countries died. Every single one of them passed away within a few year span. I know for a human that sounds like a long time, but those people, those things, had been around for thousands of years before all of this, that was a blink of an eye. As long as the nation was still in tact, so was the country, and ours were gone.

Without countries around, the world plummeted into an era of darkness. The death toll grew to catastrophic levels. Then, after hope had been completely lost, they came. The replacements. New countries. Each one, born of sickness and hatred. They were twisted and evil reincarnations of the old countries. I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting quite a few of them. Each one had the same mindset of a mental patient... except for one. He was hard to describe. Like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit in with the others. I guess I should explain myself. Ordinary humans don't usually leave their homes, yet I met most of the known world. I was a rare case. "A jewel", he called me.

I was born ordinary and under ordinary circumstances. What made me so special? I don't know. Luck I suppose, but even that is pushing the boundaries. The new countries were young in comparison to the old countries. They hadn't been around for more then a couple decades, when they decided they had begun to grow lonely. They began to seek companionship with humans. Normally, this companionship was in the form of one night of love making with anyone who happens to be near them, however, that didn't seem to satisfy whatever they were seeking. They decided that every 50 years, a woman in her prime was chosen for their desires. She would serve her duties for those 50 years until she died, then a new woman was chosen. They called this bond "marriage". Humans can no longer get married in this new world, as there is no law to bind them together, but you can still hold the ceremony for symbolical purposes.

I was going to get married once. When I was 18 I had fallen madly in love with a man who lived near me. I would see him every day when I would go out to do the laundry. We would smile and flirt with each other for a few minutes, then would have to separate. One day, he asked me, from seemingly out of nowhere, to be his wife, for he could never love another like he loved me. I said yes of course, and was happily engaged.

The day that changed my life started out completely ordinary. I woke up that morning and had a small ration of chicken for breakfast and then went out for a small walk around The Devil's Playground. A few people were outside their shacks, sewing or just watching another dull day roll by. I knew almost all of my neighbors and would stop to chat with them regularly. It was a calm, sweet little life. There wasn't much too it, but I didn't need excitement to make life worth living. I wish it could have stayed that way, but without warning, large trucks drove through the streets. They announced a ceremony and demanded all citizens to attend. The military escorted the entire city onto buses, that then drove us to the Colosseum. I had never been this far from home, so seeing all of these strange and wonderful things was both exciting, and distracting.

The scenery was amazing. I had never left my little town near the mountains, and now we would be traveling to the capital city, Rome. I watched as the trees flew by us. I had never been inside of a truck were going so fast, I couldn't believe it. We would get to the capital in no time. We passed all sorts of fields that were once crops, but were now just messes of wires and trees. It would be amazing if we could grow our own food again. Instead, once a week, a truck like the one we were currently in delivers meals to us.

As I looked out the window, I let my mind drift. What if I could just, run away. I could escape through the mountains and head north. There were rumors of another land with a different culture. I could live out my life, and maybe, with luck, they were better off than us. Me and my soon to be husband could live out our lives in peace, without fear of starving. We might even be able to raise a family. I had always wanted a family of my own. I loved children, unfortunately, most didn't last long in The Devil's Playground. There just wasn't enough food or safe areas for them. They ended up passing on because of starvation and infection.

My daydream was interrupted by a few soldiers pulling us out of the truck. We were surrounded by tall abandoned buildings, all covered in vines and moss. My jaw dropped. The buildings were made of glass. They reflected the bright sunlight off of each other, making the city sparkle like diamonds. I just wanted to stay here and grow old looking at the buildings, but we were once again forced into a truck. This one took us a lot further than the first one. The city we stopped at before was the halfway point. We waited longer in the nice cool truck until we got to an older city with tan walls. It was beautiful. This was the building style of centuries ago. It was nothing though compared to the Colosseum.

Stone pillars rose into the sky. The circular building surrounded a large arena, packed with more people. While looking at the outside, I realized something. There were stories that this building had been around centuries before even the old countries. This monument had survived two countries. It was so fascinating to know that even through the toughest times, this beautiful revolution of architectural technology stood proud over the crumbling city.

We were herded like cattle into the building, where the men were separated from the women. I said goodbye to my love as I walked to the other women my age. Military men filled the building and took posts around the audience. There was as stage set up in the very center, where everyone could see it. Women were talking quietly about why they were here. Not one of us knew what was truly going on. Most of us were scared, others were excited. I just wanted to go back home and live my ordinary life with my soon to be husband, but that would never happen. I tried looking for him in the vast audience, but I couldn't find him. Before I kept on my search, a man walked up to the microphone and made an announcement.

"Citizens of Italia, you may be wondering why you are all here. Today, on this very day, one of your lives will change forever. You have the chance to be bonded in holy matrimony with your beloved country. The name of a woman between the ages of 18 and 29 will be chosen at random, and she will continue her life in leisure and comfort with her new husband. To be chosen is an honor. To serve your country is an honor. Not only will you gain a loving husband and a beautiful home, but also eternal fame. Unfortunately, only one of you will be chosen to go down in history as the first wife of the great nation Italia." He kept on saying his speech, continuing on about how lucky that woman would be and so on and so forth.

Now, just to clear things up, none of us had ever actually seen our own country. He was kept hidden from us in a large mansion outside of Rome. The only humans who had ever seen him were his maids and butlers, then a few high up military officers. No citizen saw the country. He was a mystery to all of us. Some women said that he would be an old man, blinded and crippled from hatred. Others said he would be a small child because of how young he was in comparison to the old countries, but why would they need a wife for a child. I wasn't sure of what he would look like. Nobody remembered what the old countries looked like, so we had nothing to compare them to.

As the man's speech came to a close, trumpets blasted through the air. He was here. There was another long line of soldiers that walked into the Colosseum, followed by a few strange men, finally, him. Our eyes widened as we tried to see our ruler. He was nothing but a blur below us, walking through the dirt. The soldiers filled up the stage, and he walked out in front of them. We still couldn't see him clearly from the distance. Luck was on our side though. There was a camera ready and as soon as it turned on, the image of our country filled up screens placed around the entire Colosseum. He was nothing like I ever imagined him to be.


	2. There He Is

He stood before the crowds, his proud stature giving off a aura of strength and power. He was nothing like I had imagined him. There was no way he could be the legend of darkness that the stories made him out to be. He looked like an ordinary man in some ways, but in others, he was so much more. His eyes, they were... splendid. Bright magenta irises seemed to glow as his gaze shifted around the citizens. His skin was dark, olive tan, and his hair was a dark brown with a slight red tint to it, especially when the sunlight shinned on it. Physically, even I had to admit he was a very attractive man.

I felt my face heat up when I looked at him. I had to turn away. I was to be married to a wonderful man that I loved. I was not going to marry the country. Eventually, my eyes became glued to the screens. There was something about him that was mysterious and irresistible. He was hypnotic. It was his eyes. That bright magenta dragged one in like a magnet. As they flashed through to meet the camera, my heart nearly stopped. It felt like he was staring straight at me. God, they were so beautiful. I had never seen a human with eyes that color. It was rare to find someone with an eye color other than brown, so to see that gorgeous shade staring into your soul, it was incredible. He was an endangered species. No, in fact, he was more than that. He was unique, a true one of a kind.

When I looked around at the women, all of them were in almost a trance like state as they watched the screens. It was as if they were being pulled to him. When I looked back at the screens, I saw a small smile on his face, but there was something off about it. It was more of a smirk than a smile. Did he know what he was doing? Maybe holding all of the woman hostage in their own mind was a plan of his. I had completely forgot that this man was a lot older and wiser than he looked. He could outsmart anyone here. But why was I spared? I guess I just saw through his trick, but then, I heard his voice, and just like before, and like the women around me, my eyes were glued to the screen.

"I welcome you, my citizens to our beautiful city of Rome. I am overjoyed that so many were able to come." He spoke proudly into a microphone. His voice was rich like honey. I closed my eyes and listened carefully. Now, it was like he was only talking to me. "As you may already know, one of you is to be my new wife. I hope that which ever woman is chosen, will be happy." He paused briefly and motioned for a few other men to walk over.

The first man was huge. I had never seen someone that large in my entire life. He had blond hair and red eyes. His entire body was covered in muscle. I got that same irresistible feeling about him, but not nearly as much as the beautiful man at the microphone. The other man who came up was shorter than the other two with jet black hair and dull red eyes. Just as the other two, he was irresistible, but in a different way. He was so odd with the way he looked. He was very different from the other two.

The two men pulled out a large box. In the box, all of our names were kept hidden. The large man held the box, the short man pulled out a name, and Luciano read it. The name sounded all too familiar. A few soldiers walked over to me and escorted me to the stage. My legs were like jelly as I walked up onto the platform where my new soon to be husband was waiting. I almost melted on the spot when he gave me a small reassuring smile. He was magnificent. The audience applauded for us. I was dumbstruck. There was absolutely no way in my entire life that I would have predicted my ordinary days would suddenly be changed forever in such a dramatic turn of events.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to me briefly before turning back to the audience. I looked at him confused for a moment before both of my arms were grabbed. I looked around terrified, barely having enough time to react to the soldiers carrying me away. I tried to let out a cry for help. My new husband could stop them. He had power. One wave of his hand and the men would put me down. As soon as I opened my mouth, a rag was put over my face. A putrid smell filled my nose before I passed out.

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><p>When I awoke, I was in a completely white room, lights shining in my eyes, blinding me. I saw blurry shapes moving around a few feet away. My head was pounding, I was drenched in sweat, but I was freezing cold. I tried to move, but my muscles felt like they were being soaked in acid. My entire body ached. I let out a soft moan, hoping one of the shapes was human.<p>

A doctor turned to me and looked my body over for a few moments, then walked over to the others and started to talk to him about something. I lay helpless and motionless on the bed. What seemed like hours later, they walked back over to me and sat me up. My head immediately started spinning. I sat still for a few seconds before I emptied my stomach contents all over myself and the bed.

A few nurses moved me into a chair and pushed me into a showering unit. They scrubbed the dirt and filth from my body. My hair was brushed, my nails were cleaned, and my entire body was washed. The water was so warm. It was like basking in the sun on a fresh spring day. I wanted to wrap the heat around me like a blanket. The nurses rinsed me off, making sure there were no more bubbles anywhere on my body. When I got approved, my assistants helped me into a new clean robe. It was so soft and fluffy.

After my cleaning, the nurses took me into a different room. It looked like a small bedroom with a bathroom attached to it. I was put into bed and told to rest. I passed out once again, only this time I woke up in the same room. When I looked to my side, he was there, reading a book. Dark brown hair with a red tint, tan skin, and those eyes. My body was shaking with nerves. I wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what I would say. I opened my mouth, but closed it before any noise could escape.

"You should be asleep." He said calmly. His voice was different than at the ceremony. He was so calm and bored sounding now. There was no crowd for him to impress. He put his book down and looked at me. "You must be tired." His voice was quiet. A few minutes later, I gathered up all of the courage I could. I needed to know some things. I had no idea of what was going on.

"Excuse me sir, but where exactly are we?" I asked quietly. He looked down at me, a blank stare over most of his face. He wasn't the same as at the ceremony. There he was magnificent. Here, he was so dull. Once again, he picked up his book and began to read, not answering me. "I asked you a question. Where are we?" I asked, getting irritated with him. He gave a small sigh and put the book back. I could tell I was starting to irritate him. I didn't care about that, I just wanted answers.

"We are at the hospital. It is kind of obvious. You needed testing done to see if you were healthy enough." He looked at me. My arms were covered in bandages, my legs were too tired to move, and my head still ached. "You passed all of your tests. Congratulations. If you would have failed even one, you would have been put to death and I would be in your place, all covered in scars." His voice was so bored sounding now.

"You know, for the country, you are pretty rude." I said bluntly. To me, it didn't matter who he was. He still should treat others with respect, especially after going through all of that. The look on his face was pretty priceless. He was shocked none the less. I doubt anyone had ever spoken to him like that in his life. Country or not, he was going to have to learn I had to teach him myself, I would. He was supposed to be a symbol of national pride, not someone who just watches the world spin by, not caring about anything.

"I am not rude, I am truthful." He explained, the boredom still in his voice. I couldn't take it. Back at the ceremony, I at least thought he would always be some glorious hero, but he was nothing like that. It just proves that you can never judge a book by its cover. And he was one long story. "There are certain health requirements, and lucky for you, they were all met. If you would have failed even one, they would have killed you outback." He looked me dead in the eyes as he spoke.

"Why would they do that? I was chosen." I asked quietly. I knew they could kill me but, I didn't think they would go that far. "Why wouldn't they just let me back outside?" There were so many questions for me to laugh. I didn't think I would ever get to ask him all of them. There wasn't enough time in my lifetime, and maybe even his for me to ask him everything I wanted to know.

"If we would have let you go, you would be different. You would be clean, and you have seen some things that can't be released to the public and, you add to all of that, you have been vaccinated. And you can be replaced very VERY quickly" He explained to me. I still didn't quite get it. What was the point of choosing a name then? Why couldn't they just go up to someones home and take them in the middle of the night. They already do that anyway. People would go missing in the middle of the night, then mysteriously, the next week the military would buy their house and they would have a new base.

Whenever I tried asking more questions, he kept avoiding them until the doctors came into the room. They unhooked my bed from the floor and wheeled me out. He followed us out to a large truck where the loaded me up. I lay helpless in the bed until they parked the truck and removed me from the back without the bed. I looked up at where we stopped. It was the place that was to be my new home. I had never seen a more spectacular house in the world. It was a major upgrade from my old shack in The Devil's Playground. I was amazed by the large marble pillars and the amazing sculpture work on the outside. It was surrounded by thick, lush gardens full of flowers and shrubs.

"Is this really where I will be living?" I asked, wonder and awe in my voice. He looked down at me and gave me a nod and a very slight smile. Unlike the one at the smile at the ceremony, this one was real. I walked over slowly and weakly to smell a large red rose. It was so sweet smelling. My new husband simply snapped his fingers and a gardener appeared and clipped the rose away from the bush and handed it to me. I looked down at it sadly. "But now, it is going to die." I said quietly. He looked at me and saw the distress in my voice.

"But it would have died out here anyway. At least with it picked like this, you can treasure it's beauty in the little time it has." His words were soft. I was amazed by the wisdom that he spoke. He was no ordinary man by any means. He was the most different man I had ever met. Slowly, he made his way over to me and sniffed the rose. It was only when he got that close to me that I noticed something. It was a random curly hair sticking out from the side of his head. There was no purpose for it to be there, it just was. It was only then that I realized something very important.

"What do I call you?" I asked him quietly. He looked at me, obviously confused by my question. "I mean... What is your name?" I could feel my face turning red from embarrassment. We never had introductions, and the man giving the speech never gave a name. I had gone this long without even knowing something simple as his name. I felt so idiotic about it. I couldn't believe I would just forget something important like that. I was too busy caught up in my moment that I didn't realize that he had turned to face me with a small smile on his face again.

"Luciano Vargas, at your service." He took my hand gently, and kissed the back of it.


	3. A Dangerous Rose

It took about half an hour to finish the tour of my new home. There were so many rooms all used for very particular activities. Luciano even had a room just for a game from before the age of darkness called pool. You hit a ball so it hits other balls and knocks them into a pocket. It was so strange. Everything about the home was glorious. It seemed like something out of a fairy tale. My favorite room was the rose room. It was a massive greenhouse with nothing but roses inside. I had never seen something so beautiful.

After my tour of the house, he took me up to my new room. There was an outfit laid out just for me on the bed. I looked down at it and put it on. It was a beautiful green dress. I could help but spin around the room. It glittered like a beautiful emerald. I could have stayed in the bedroom for hours just trying on all of the different clothes in the closet, but I was called down for dinner.

I walked into the eating hall quietly. Luciano was already there, nose buried in a book, as usual. This one time, I really wanted him to see, or at least even notice me. A butler pulled a chair out for me to sit. I looked around the table, amazed at how many chairs there were. The table seemed like it stretched to fit the entire dining all. This beat my small little one person table that I had to make at my home.

"Good evening." I said quietly. No answer. "... Good evening..." I said slightly louder. Still now answer. I looked over at him annoyed. He was completely fascinated with books. Whenever he picked up, he would block out the rest of the world and get lost in its pages. It would be no use trying to talk to him at this point. It was nearly impossible to get him to put down a good book. It wasn't until dinner was brought out that one of the maids gently touched his shoulder. I saw his body flinch slightly. He put the book down and looked over at me.

"Good evening. How did you like your tour?" Luciano asked calmly, placing a napkin in his lap. I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. He could be so clueless sometimes. Obviously, he was very confused. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked quietly. I took a deep breath and put a napkin in my lap. "What did I do?" He asked, getting irritated.

"I was trying to talk to you, but you had your nose shoved into that book." I shot him a glare as I explained. "I honestly don't understand how you can spend all day looking at those things. It's just words printed on sheets of paper. What is so fascinating and entertaining about that?" I growled. There was a shocked look on his face. Nobody ever talked to him like that. Nobody was allowed to talk to him like that.

"Excuse me? Books are the world's greatest treasures. It's because of books that we know anything about the old world. It is books that tell us our past. They tell stories to help small children to sleep at night, and they help a scientist remember all of his greatest discoveries. Books are more valuable than all of the worlds gold. They are each their own separate worlds, full of wonder and mystery. A book can tell a poem, such as this one." He looked down at his book and began to read softly.

"The modest Rose puts forth a thorn:

The humble Sheep.

a threatening horn:

While the Lily white, shall in Love delight,

Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright"

He closed the book and put it down on the table. The poem was beautiful. I looked down at the book. I couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of embarrassment. I would never be able to say something nearly as beautiful as that. I was illiterate, nobody knew how to read anymore. Everyone forgot years ago. I looked up at him, amazed by the words that left his mouth. It was a true art, lost and forgotten.

"Can you teach me how?" I asked quietly. He looked up at me confused. "I don't know how to read." I felt my face growing red as I spoke. His expression lightened up a bit and he nodded. Luck was on my side, we didn't have to continue our conversation about poems and books. The chef brought out our meal. It made my mouth water just looking at it. There were so many different dishes. There was even meat. Unless you knew how to hunt or could trade, nobody ever got meat. It was a large roasted turkey, with a perfect golden outside.

I gasped as large cut of the bird was placed on my plate, along with some other delicious dishes. I cut off a small piece and put it in my mouth. The amazing mix of flavors and juices covered my tongue. I couldn't resist anymore. I don't think I had ever had a proper meal up until that point. I ate everything on my plate within a few minutes and went for more. I just kept eating and eating until my stomach couldn't take it anymore. Luciano on the other hand, ate his meal slowly, taking his time.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" There was a slight smile on his face as he talked to me. I let out a small yawn and smiled. My stomach was completely full for the first time in my life. My first real meal in my entire life, and it was so amazing. I thanked him happily.

"It was delicious. I have never had food so good before." I told him. "I am so tired now though." I removed the napkin from my lap and wiped my face off gently. I was about to stand up when the door behind me opened up. The smaller man from the ceremony walked into the room and said something to Luciano. I couldn't understand a word he was saying. It was nothing but gibberish.

The two held an entire conversation in the gibberish. It must have been an important conversation, because Luciano looked at him very seriously. At the end of their talk, the shorter man turned and bowed to me, then walked swiftly out of the room. I looked over at my husband, curious as to what they were talking about.

"Luciano? Is something wrong?" I was almost too scared to get an answer. Something told me that it would be a big deal. Maybe someone died, or there was something wrong with the land. He lifted his head slowly and looked at me sadly. His mouth opened slightly as if to say something, but then he closed it again. There was no way he would be able to tell me the news, so he just came out and said it.

"There was a rebellion, back in Milan. I personally have to travel up there and sort everything out." He looked up at me, waiting to see my reaction. I couldn't move or speak. Milan was my home city. My first thought was the man I loved. If there were rebellions, then the soldiers got involved, and if the soldiers got involved, innocent blood was running through the streets.

"Are there any casualties?" I asked softly. I had to know he was safe. Luciano shrugged. The man didn't give him enough information, only that it happened. I was praying silently that my true husband was enjoying his evening, and ignoring the news. Even more, I prayed that he wasn't involved in the first place. I wanted to go see him, just to make sure he was okay.

"You will have to go with me. I can't leave you here alone for the time it might take to sort this all out." He looked up at me, as if wanting my approval. I gave him a slight nod. It was perfect. I could go back to Milan, find the man I loved, and we could run away together. We could escape to the mountains. Hopefully we wouldn't get caught by soldiers, but as long as there was a chance of us escaping, that was all that mattered.

"We will leave tomorrow morning." He said softly before standing up and walking out of the room. I looked down at the table for a few minutes before getting up and going to the bedroom with him. A maid brought me an old gown made from Chinese silk. It was so beautiful, with pictures of colorful fish spread throughout it. I had never even touched silk before. It was smooth and cooling. I instantly fell in love with it. When Luciano walked into the room, he was wearing matching bottoms and no shirt.

To embarrassed to look at him, I crawled into bed. The soft, plush mattress sank beneath me. It was more luxurious than sleeping on a cloud. It only took a few seconds before I found the perfect sleeping position. This was so much better than my lumpy old mattress back home. It was falling apart, and in the middle of the night, springs would stab into you painfully. I closed my eyes and tried to drift off into a dream.

For some reason, no matter how tired I was, I couldn't sleep. I let my eyes wonder around the room, taking in everything. There were still some moments where I thought this was a strange new world. I would eventually leave, and return to my old life back in the Devil's Playground. My eyes had wondered to Luciano without me even noticing. He was very muscular, and his body was covered in scars. I looked at each one, wondering how it got there. He lived in a grand mansion, how could he have so many battle wounds.

He rolled over and looked at me. I blushed when I saw his eyes meet mine. Even in the dark, the magenta still shined brightly. I turned my attention to the floor. There was that irresistible feeling again. I just wanted to be able to reach out to him. The more I looked at him, the more I wanted him to hold me close in his arms. Was I going crazy? This man took my life away from me, what was I thinking?

"Can you not sleep?" He asked me quietly, his voice cutting the silence like a knife. I felt a blush growing on my face, so I avoided meeting his eyes. If I looked at them any longer, I might have never been able to look away again. I just nodded my head in response. There was more silence for a few minutes until he broke it. "I am sorry." He said softly. "I am sorry you were chosen to come here. To have to leave your family behind and drop your life to be here, even though you had no choice in the matter." He said softly, gently reaching his hand out to me and placing it over mine. There was the blush again, and worse than ever.

"I don't have any family, and I didn't have a life back there. If anything, this is a blessing. I desperately wanted a change in my boring old life, and I got one." I gave him a small smile to cheer him up and hopefully ease his mind. He nodded slowly.

"I am sorry you don't have any family... I don't either. I have nobody." He said. "All of my life has been just one giant dark room. It's vastness overwhelms me sometimes, but that is why I have you here now. Someone to help keep me here." He gave me a small smile. I hadn't really seen much of this sweeter side of him yet. My face burned bright red when he leaned over and gave me a kiss on my forehead.

"We should really get some sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow for our trip." He whispered. I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to stay up all night with him. Something strange was going on. My heart was pounding, my palms were getting sweaty, and I couldn't speak. Maybe it was just because I was so tired. I ended up just giving him a slight nod and closing my eyes.


	4. Return To Hell

I awoke that morning to Luciano whistling softly from the shower. My head was groggy with sleep, and the bed was too comfortable and warm to leave. I laid in bed and listened to the song. It was beautiful, but I didn't recognize it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and walked over to the bathroom door. I put my ear against it and listened.

Luciano started to sing softly. My eyes widened as I listened. His voice was... incredible. It was smooth and calming. Each note seemed to hang in the air until the next one came along to take its place. God, it was so beautiful. I closed my eyes and listened to it. My breath nearly stopped so there was no sound to block out the beautiful music. I must have zoned out because I almost fell into the bathroom when he opened the door.

"Um, what are you doing?" Luciano asked, confused, and probably a bit scared. I felt my face turn bright red as I looked up at him. The only thing covering him was a towel draped around his waist. Now that I was seeing him in the light, there were more scars than I thought. Quickly, I stood up and looked at him.

"I-I was just... listening." I managed to stutter out. He must have thought I was crazy. The towel got adjusted and he walked over to his closet, pulling out a freshly cleaned uniform. It took him a moment to notice that the door was still open. He shut it quickly and got dressed. I walked over to my own closet. There were so many dresses to chose from. There was a beautiful light blue sun dress that was perfect. I put it on and spun around, watching the fabric float around me.

When I walked out, he was adjusting a few buttons and medals on his uniform. Everything about it was neat and tidy. It wasn't fair that after all of that perfection, that one curl swirled out from underneath his hat. I gently reached out and touched it. Suddenly, everything about him changed. He spun around and looked at me with a wild and scared look in his eyes. Quickly, it turned to anger. It was like he wasn't there anymore. The man I knew was gone. This new man grabbed my wrists aggressively and pinned me against the wall. I cowered back, helpless to whatever he did. He leaned in close, his mouth right next to my ear.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He growled. I closed my eyes, terrified. "I could have killed you." He whispered. I felt my heart racing with fear as he spoke. I tried to pull against the wrists, but he just tightened his grip more.

"Please, just let me go Luciano." I whimpered like a scared puppy. He was now restraining both of my arms with only one of his. I felt the stray hand move down to my waist.

"And why would I do that? You made me like this. You owe me something in return." He hissed out. The grip tightened on my wrists as he started to kiss at my neck. I was starting to panic. I begged him to let me go. But for some reason, he wasn't there. Those magenta eyes had turned evil.

I felt my shirt gently lift up, but drop, along with the rest of my body to the floor. When I looked up, I saw the huge blond man from the ceremony. He held Luciano up and pinned him to the wall in the same hold I saw the soldiers preform many times. He was stuck, and judging the man who held him captive, he wasn't going to be let go any time soon.

"Run." He ordered. I was frozen to the spot. Too shocked and scared to move, but he repeated the orders again, and this time, my legs were moving. I sprinted from the room in my pajamas and down the hall into a spare was yelling and banging noises coming from the bedroom. It must have been one terrible fight. I hid in there for almost an hour. Finally, there was a soft tapping at my door. The short man with black hair was standing outside it.

"Come, Luciano is waiting and wishes to apologize." he spoke in a quiet voice. I followed him downstairs to a large sitting room. I saw Luciano there and the blond man. There was a small smirk on both of their faces. But as soon as he saw me, Luciano's dropped. There was regret all over his face now.

"I am terribly sorry for everything that happened. I don't know if you will ever forgive me, and even then, I don't know if I will ever forgive myself." Luciano said, dropping his head a bit.

"Don't worry Luci, I forgive you." The blond man said, his smirk growing. Anger flashed over Luciano's face. The blond started to laugh loudly as he saw the emotional change take over Luciano.

"Shut the fuck up Lutz." He growled at him. the blond man just let out a laugh and walked towards him. I saw him whisper something in the same gibberish language Luciano was using with the shorter man. Like a bolt of lightning, Luciano jumped up from the chair and punched the blond in the jaw, knocking him backwards. Lutz looked up at him shocked. There was a large red spot forming where the fist collided with his jaw.

"Kuro, take him away from me." Luciano ordered the shorter man. He followed his orders and despite his small stature, he picked Lutz off the floor and put him on his feet. The two of them walked out of the room. Luciano sat down in the chair, exhausted.

"Luciano... what happened earlier? I do not understand." I said quietly. He looked up at me. I could see that he was tired. The fight must have taken a lot out of him. But I noticed something else. There were no bruises anywhere on him. Surly, if there was a fight, Lutz had to have at least got in a few hits.

"Just... don't touch my curl. That is the only advice I can give." He groaned out. The short man walked into the room and bowed, then said a few things and left. Luciano stood up, exhausted and walked towards the door. "Come on, the car is waiting for us." He commanded. Reluctantly, I followed. I wasn't sure if I trusted him anymore. After everything that had just happened, could I really trust anyone?

He guided me to a large military truck, only this time, we got to sit up front in actual seats. This was a luxury I had never experienced. I sat as far away from him as possible, fearing what he would do to me if I came to close. I didn't think I would ever be able to see him the same way. The window was my distraction from all of it. I stared out into the vast wilderness. Tall trees surrounded us as we headed north towards the mountains.

In a few days, hopefully me and my true love would be able to run away to these mountains. He knew how to hunt, and I knew about different herbs that we could eat and use for medicine. We could make it out on our own. I looked at the woods, wondering where we would end up. Maybe, if we headed far enough north, we could go into a new land.

"Are you excited to return home?" I heard Luciano's voice float through the quiet car. I turned my head and looked at him. It was clear that he still felt bad about everything that had happened.

"I guess. I didn't have much of a life there so there is nothing to really miss." I responded. I didn't tell him about my real husband. If I did, then there would be no way he would let me even leave the car without someone else. I was praying that they wouldn't figure out. I desperately wanted to get away. The night before, I would have questioned my decision, but after everything that happened earlier, anywhere but that truck and that mansion seemed like heaven, even the Devil's Playground.

We saw a city in the distance. That was it. There was a tall wall surrounding the city. I knew it well. It was supposed to keep the bombings from effecting the outside environment when the bombs were dropped on cities. It didn't work that well. Most of the wall had been destroyed by war and time. When I was younger, I would climb the rubble to get as high up as possible. Sometimes, I could see as far as the clean part of the city.

The gates opened up and the truck drove through. The filth of the city was right at the gate, waiting for us. Destroyed buildings covered the landscape. This was the side where nobody lived. The bombings were at their worst there to destroy the gates. If the gates were destroyed, then the enemy forces could get in and massacre everyone inside the walls without any problems.

As we looked out the window, we saw scavengers digging through the rubble. Those people were the lowest of the low. They had absolutely nothing, not even a shack. They slept in the ruins, and ate the rats that were their roommates. Luciano pulled me away from the window.

"It's best if you don't look. They will do anything just to get a decent meal." He whispered. I glanced out the window and saw all of them were looking up at us, like wild animals. It was as if they had their humanity ripped away from them without mercy. I wanted to go out and help them, but I knew Luciano had a good reason to warn me. Stories were spread around the city that if a scavenger caught you, they would cook and eat you along with their rats. They were savages.

We took the winding path through the ruins and eventually, we got to the Devil's Playground. I saw a few shacks that I recognized. The truck pulled to a stop just outside the limits of the shack city. There were a few military tents set up and surrounded by fencing. The truck was parked inside of it and we were let out. As soon as the door was opened, I started choking on the smoggy air.

"Welcome home." Luciano said quietly and put on a cloak, then handed me one. "So they don't recognize you." Gently, he put the cloak around the my shoulders and pulled the hood over my head. I looked around. We weren't too far from my home. I could run through the gates, and get him out of my life forever. No, I had to wait. I had to make sure it was just the right moment. Slowly, I nodded to him and followed him into one of the tents. It was out living quarters. There was a fold out bed, a small table and a trunk full of clothes.

I guess this was the closest to home I would be for awhile. I made up a plan in my mind. I would sneak out at night and find my love. We would sneak away at night while all of the guards were busy. Then, I could live my life, free from Luciano for good. It would be hard, but I knew I could do it. I just prayed that my love would leave with me. There was only one way to find out. That night, I would have to go. There would be no other chance to do it. As soon as morning would arrive, they would know I was gone and learn that he was too. If we were caught we would both die. These were chances I had to take in order to be with him. I would do anything to leave my tyrannical husband and be with the man I truly loved.


	5. He Died

Nightfall came with a hush and a cool breeze. I listened to the sounds of crickets outside of our small shack. I looked around our dark living quarters. Luciano lay sleeping silently. All was peaceful. While looking at him, I felt a slight bit of pain knowing I was about to leave him. Even after he attacked me, I still felt strange around him. It wasn't his fault either. He wasn't the same when he attacked me, he was someone else.

When a cold breeze fluttered through our small temporary home, I knew it was time. As quietly as I could, I slipped out into the night with a small bag of clothing. I tiptoed through the still street, shadows looming over me, stalking my every move. When I found my old street, I turned and walked towards my old home. I wasn't surprised to see it gone. It was normal for people to dismantle shacks that weren't in use any more. I saw a storm in the distance, but I had to keep going.

I continued to sneak through the streets. Finally, I found it. That little shack was supposed to be our home. I felt my heart beat faster as I approached the door. A small smile appeared on my lips as I reached for the handle. His last words to me rang through my head. "I love you more than anyone ever could." The phrase just repeated over and over as I opened the door. I couldn't say I was shocked to not see him waiting by the door. It was late, he was most likely in bed sleeping like the rest of the city. I walked quietly through the living room to his bedroom. When I opened the door, I felt my heart rip into pieces.

He was in there alright, and so was she. I saw him inside her and ran from the house as if it were on fire. On my way out, I tripped over a chair. The crash must have distracted them. He ran after me, thinking I was robbing them off their few possessions. When he saw it was me, he looked down, obviously surprised to see me.

"What the hell are you doing here? You are supposed to be in the capital." He growled at me. I looked up at him, tears in my eyes, but I was happy to see that he had put on clothes before running outside. I wanted to kiss him, but I wanted to run more. He was both handsome and terrifying in the dim moonlight.

"I came back to you." I whimpered. "I loved you." I was sobbing at this point. Tears were flowing down my cheeks uncontrollably. There was no pity in his glare. I had never seen him so heartless. He used to be so kind and gentle towards me.

"Get out of here you are no longer wanted." He hissed. His voice was like ice. I reached out and grabbed his hands desperately. They were rough. So unlike Luciano's clean, soft touch. The more I looked at him, the more I saw how opposite the two were. Luciano was straightforward with everything except emotions. The man before me was a selfish liar. I didn't care though, he had my heart.

"Please, we can run away together and live in the mountains like we dreamed about." I panicked. He pulled his hands away and I felt one strike my cheek. I lay on the ground in agonizing pain. The side of my face burned and turned red.

"Don't touch me you filthy whore!" He yelled. I couldn't move. I was frozen with fear and surprise. Like an animal trapped in a corner, I cowered down. I couldn't understand why he was like this. It wasn't my fault that I left, so why was he acting so cruel. "Where is that necklace your mother gave you?" He questioned me. I felt around my neck. It was still at the mansion. Years ago before she left, my mom gave me a necklace that had been passed down through the generations of my family. It was covered in diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. It was priceless.

"I don't have it." I whispered. I blacked out for a few moments when he kicked my head. When I looked up, his face was red with rage. He was like a nightmare come to life. I was speechless as I stared fear in the face.

"How could you not have it! I waited for years to get that fucking-" he paused mid sentence. "Wait, you are the countries wife. He is bound to have more than a piece of shit necklace." He suddenly grabbed my arms and dragged me into his home. His leg swung around and hit my head once again, but this time I was out for more than a few moments. When I opened my eyes, it was raining outside and I was tied to a chair. I couldn't move. I was completely helpless.

"P-Please let me go." I begged. I looked over to my left and saw a beautiful woman standing beside me. She had a gun in her hand. It was a military gun. I recognized it from the soldiers that came in and out of the mansion. "How did you get that gun?" I whispered to her. She glared down at me.

"I fucked a lonely soldier." She said bluntly. "I took his gun and his life while he slept. He didn't have much cash on him, but I got this." I looked away quickly. Then, he walked into the room with a knife. It was old and rusting around the handle.

"So, here is how this is going to work. You are going to get your little husband down here and he is going to give me whatever I want, or else you are going to die a very slow, very painful death." He said, putting the cold blade against my neck. What would Luciano do if he was in this situation? He would think. He would figure out his enemy. But he had something I didn't. He had incredible strength, more than any human. He could lift twice as much as any healthy man could. I had to be strong like him, even if it wasn't physically.

"No." I glared up at him. "If he comes here you are going to kill him." It hadn't taken me long to figure out their plan. He glared at me and put more pressure on my neck. I winced and felt a drop of blood run down my skin. It didn't matter if I died. Besides, if I called for him to help, he would know I ran away. Once he would learn that, he would leave me for dead anyway.

"You get him here now!" He shouted in my face. I held my ground. There was no way I would give up without a fight. He saw this. "Maybe I should do something to convince you more. You are nothing but a worthless slut after all." He gave me an evil smirk and used his knife to cut my shirt off and pull it away. Next were my pants. No matter how hard I tried to fight, I was helpless with the ropes.

I was crying, begging him to stop, but he wouldn't. He ripped off my bra aggressively, along with my underwear. There was a crazy look in his eyes as he looked down at me, muttering names to me, like slut, whore, and many others. I saw his hands reaching for his belt. He pulled it off and smacked me in the stomach. I screamed out in pain as a massive red mark appeared. I felt him shove a piece off my shirt into my mouth to shut me up. I whimpered softly, my eyes watering from the pain.

He pulled his pants down and glanced at the other woman. "Why are you still in here? I prefer to do my business in private." He snapped. The woman was just about to leave when there was a knock on the door. He pulled up his pants, took her gun away and gave her a slight nod. Quickly, he moved me to a different room and locked the door. Then, he snuck out the window, dissapearing into the darkness.

From the other room, I heard the young woman open the door. "May I help you sir?" She said politely.

"Miss, please help me, I was stumbling through the dark, looking for my sisters home when I tripped over a large rock. My ankle hurts and I don't think I can make it to her. Can I please spend the night in your home?" A mans voice echoed through the shack. There was something familiar about it. I thought I knew who it was. There was another man I was close with before I left for the capital. Him and his husband would sometimes help me out around my home.

The woman must have agreed and let him in. I heard them making small talk a room away from me. Then, I heard something out of the ordinary.

"Whoa, I am so sorry, I just haven't eaten for awhile." I heard her moan out. "You know, I would do anything for a bite to eat these days." I heard her voice take a seductive tone. I almost wanted to laugh. His husband would be furious if he found out that a woman was being flirty with him.

"Sorry miss, but I am married." The man said. His voice was different now.

"Well so am I, but right now my growling stomach is more of a priority." I heard the sound of fabric hit the door. "Come on, I can make your wildest dreams come true." She moaned out. Then, more fabric sounds.

"Please put your clothes back on." The man said, his voice was familiar again, but it was someone else. I heard the sound of a passionate kiss being shared. Then, a bit of a stumble. "I said put your clothes on." The man ordered. It finally clicked. Tears of joy started to run down my cheeks.

"Come on big boy, I want to have some fun with you." She moaned out again.

"Get away from me." He commanded. God, I loved hearing his voice now.

"One quick round cutie. You can do whatever you want with me and then toss me aside, I don't care just give me something to eat. What do you like? I have some rope and gags if that is what you like, or if you don't actually want sex, I can just suck it a little." I heard something hit the ground. Shadows from the candle flickered from underneath my door. There was a struggle going on. I heard someone hit the wall and fabric tear. Assuming that the woman was still nude, it had to be his clothes.I heard him shouting and then a body hit the door where I was.

"Y-You hit me..." She said shocked. "You actually hit me." There was fear in her voice.

"I told you to stop and you didn't listen. I am looking for someone and I know she is here." His footsteps echoed through the house.

"Get the hell away from me you monster!" She cried out.

"Miss, I just need you to let her go or at least tell me where she is. She has blond hair, and likes the color blue. It is the same color as her eyes. I just want to find her, then you never have to see me or her again." His voice was soft and calming.

"I'm sorry" the woman said softly, "but I don't know where she is." He had her under his spell. He was like that with everyone. They would always get lost in those magenta eyes.

Then, a sound that terrified me. Gunfire rang through the city. I froze. A body hit the floor. He was dead. My only hope was dead. My entire body was shaking. I couldn't help but cry. After everything we had been through, and his seemingly endless life was taken by a bullet.


	6. Light In The Darkness

The woman let out a scream. There was another gunshot, then silence. I sat shaking in the chair. Footsteps echoed through the shack. Slowly, each step getting closer and closer. I prayed for my life as I heard the door unlock. My captor walked into the room, covered in blood. He picked me up in my chair and carried me out of the room.

When I looked around as I was carried, a saw bodies on the floor. Next to the door, I saw the pretty young woman, naked with a bullet wound through her head. Slowly, my eyes shifted to the other side of the room. I wanted to scream at the sight. Luciano lay lifeless on there floor. There was a pool of blood around him. Despite his death, his magenta eyes still seemed to glow in the darkness.

My captor put me down in his bedroom. The moment the legs of the chair hit the floor, he hit me in the back of the head with the gun. When I awoke, I was no longer in the chair, but instead my arms and legs were tied to the bedframe. I tried to yell, but there was a gag in my mouth. He walked over to me, a crazy look in his eyes.

"You filthy slut." He glared at me. "You killed her. You killed my wife. You killed our country. You are going to pay for all of your crimes. I guess I am going to have to be up the one to punish you." I watched, terrified as he removed his pants again. I shook my head, pretending that this wasn't happening. The bed shook as he sat on it, crawling over to me.

"Don't look at me... DON'T YOU FUCKING LOOK AT ME!" he screamed. I quickly closed my eyes and started to cry. He put his hands over his hears and moaned with pain. "Shut up..." He paused for a moment before slapping me across the face. "SHUT UP!" he yelled. I cried out in pain, the side of my face burning again.

Why did I want to come back? He was right. Luciano and that woman were dead and it was all my fault. All I wanted was Luciano to live. But no, his body laid lifeless by the table. I was still alive, god knows what would happen to me. I was doomed, and there was nobody to save me. Maybe, if I prayed hard enough, Lutz and Kuro would notice that Luciano was missing and come looking for him. They could find me and save me.

I felt the bed shake as he moved closer to me. He was muttering like a madman. Slowly, he took the gag out of my mouth and put a hand on my cheek. He sat stroking it gently, his tongue licking at his lips.

"So beautiful." He mumbled as he stuck his thumb next to my mouth. I took the opportunity, and bit down on the thumb. The taste of his blood filled my mouth. He let out a scream and fell off of the bed. I pulled at the ropes, but it was no good. I was trapped. He was laying on the ground in pain, clenching his bloodied thumb.

"Y-YOU BITCH!" he cried out. I saw him run over and bandage his thumb. "How could you. After I protected you from that psychopathic nation." He shoved the gag back into my mouth. "Y-You need to be punished." He whispered. The bed started to shake as he got in it behind me. "I am only punishing you because I love you." He bent down and whispered into my ear. "I love you more than anyone ever could." Tears ran down my cheeks as I felt the bed shake some more. My heart was beating out of my chest with fear.

I cried out in pain when I felt him force himself inside me. He hit me in the back of the head again, the same spot as the gun. My vision went blurry. I lost all of my senses for a few moments, forgetting about where I was and what was going on. A few minutes later, my brain finally registered what was going on. I struggled beneath him, but the ropes kept me from fighting. I laid on the bed helplessly crying into a pillow as he had his way with me.

I didn't notice it at first, but a shadow was slowly cast into the room. I thought it was just a cloud, but it was moving. The man behind me was grunting loudly, so I almost didn't hear the window open. There was a flash of light on the wall. A reflection of moonlight. I gulped as I heard nearly silent footsteps creeping towards us.

A scream echoed through the apartment. I felt the man pull out. The bed shook violently as he fell out of it again and hit the floor. His head rolled from side to side. When he opened his eyes, he screamed again.

"Y-You are supposed to dead. There was a bullet in your brain!" He stuttered out to the shadow. Weakly, I turned my head. A pair of menacing magenta eyes glared at him through the darkness. Luciano stood in the darkest corner of the room. "You are dead... I SHOT YOU!" the man shouted, terrified.

"Are you okay?" Luciano said calmly. He walked over to me smoothly. He gently cut through the ropes and set me free. He looked around the room and found an old bathrobe. I felt him wrap me up in the soft fabric and kiss my forehead. "I am going to get you out of this place, I promise." He said quietly.

Another gunshot rang through the streets. I watched horrified as my savior coughed up blood. He looked down. There was a bullet hole through his stomach. There was a thud as he fell to his knees, then another as the rest of his body collapsed to the ground. His killer stood behind him with the gun.

"H-He is dead. He is dead. He is dead." He repeated this over and over, staring down at the body. When I looked at the back of his head, there were patches of dried blood, but no bullet wound. The killer let out a happy scream, but it was cut off when the corpse started to move.

"Actually, I'm not." Luciano smirked. The wound was gone. More shots were fired out of terror. Luciano lunged forward and ripped the gun from his hands. "Never give a child a toy if he doesn't know how to use it properly." The gun flew out the window when Luciano tossed it away.

"W-What the hell are you?" Our enemy cried out in fear. The smirk grew on Luciano's face.

"I'm your worst nightmare." He laughed cruelly. "Now tell me, are you scared yet?" He whispered. The sound of liquid hitting the dirt was the only sound bin the room. "Pissing yourself with fear already? We haven't even started yet." As soon as Luciano finished the sentence, the man ran from the room as soon as possible.

I winced when bright lights filtered in through the shack. Luciano put his arms around me and walked outside. The man was surrounded by armed soldiers, including Lutz and Kuro. He held the gun in his hands. He must have picked it up when he ran. I screamed when he fired a few shots, each of them hitting either Lutz or Kuro. I quickly hid my face against Luciano's chest. When I glanced up, he was unphased by what had happened.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" I heard him cry out. When I looked over at them, I saw Lutz looking at his chest as the wounds closed up. Kuro was doing the same, looking at his arms. Then, they both restrained their attacker and pinned him painfully to the ground.

"Th-They are..." I was stunned. Luciano smirked more. Kuro held him down while Lutz beat him without mercy.

"Did you think I was the only one? Their homes were destroyed during the bombings so they are living here until they can rebuild." He tightened his arms around me. "I am so sorry I wasn't there sooner." He whispered, holding me close. I laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him.

"Luciano, what should we do with him now?" Lutz asked as he threw another punch into his gut. Luciano looked at him and thought.

"Hmm... Let him go, see if he still has any fight in him." Luciano commanded. Our attacker was dropped onto the ground. Kuro and Lutz backed away from him slowly, still ready to fight. Luciano gave me one last squeeze and walked over to him. He was on his hands and knees, coughing up blood violently.

"Are you okay?" Lutz asked me as he walked over to me. I gave him a slight nod and pulled the robe around me tighter. The two nations stood infront of me like bodyguards. "I am Germany" Lutz said quietly, breaking the silence between us. "Kuro is Japan. Luciano took us in and cared for us, sharing the few things he had left with us. We owe him our lives." Lutz turned back to Luciano. He had a strange look in his eyes. It was deep and passionate.

I almost screamed when the man pulled out his knife and attacked Luciano. But he was no match. In an instant, Luciano grabbed his arm and twisted it, flipping his entire body. When the man tried to get up again, Luciano swung his boot forward. There was a sick crack as the steal toe met his jaw.

"He is a skilled fighter." Kuro said quietly. "He attacks with great precision. I am envious." Kuro mumbled. There was a hint of jealousy in his cherry red eyes.

"What was the old Italy like?" I asked them quietly. They both turned their attention away from the fight and towards me. Lutz reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture.

"Luciano was found with This. We assume that this was him before the disease killed him." Lutz handed the piece of paper to me. He looked almost the same, but his hair was lighter, he had happy amber eyes, and a wide smile on his face. My heart started to ache as I stared at it. Then, I looked up at Luciano. No matter how similar their looks were, the man in the photo was not the same as the man before me. I flipped it over and looked at the back.

"Feliciano Vargas, Northern Italy." I said quietly. Luciano and Feliciano. I saw a small symbol in the corner. "What is this?" I asked them. Kuro looked at it.

"It is called a yin-yang. It is a symbol in Chinese philosophy. There is dark and light. Good and bad. But there will always be good in the bad and bad in the good. That is how the world finds balance." He explained. It was beautiful. When I looked back up at Luciano, it all made sense. The new nations weren't evil. None of them were. They were just here to set balance to the world.

The man threw a lucky punch and hit Luciano in the chin. The mighty nation stared down at him for a few moments before he decided he had finally had enough. He forced him to his knees and took out a knife.

"For your crimes against humanity, it is my duty to vanquish you." Luciano growled. "May god have mercy on your pitiful soul." Luciano raised the knife. The man began to laugh hysterically.

"Do it. Break my curse. Set me free, oh great and powerful Italy." He laughed. He was cut off when Luciano swung the blade around, slicing through his neck. Blood sprayed the ground around him and he fell to the ground dead. Luciano whistled and some soldiers covered the body with a sheet and walked away with it.

Luciano walked over to me and grabbed my hands. I looked up at him for a few moments before kissing him passionately. He let go of my hands and wrapped his arms around me as he returned the kiss. Our nightmare was finally over.


	7. A Young Old Man

We shared many long years after that. I got to see the world with him. We traveled to far off lands, never heard of before. I got to step foot in the Pacific ocean, walk along a North American beach, and even swim in an African lake. He never left me behind when he had to go away. I knew I would be with him forever, but he thought differently. Every day that passed, his view of me changed. I began to notice wrinkles in my hands. My hair was beginning to gray, and he no longer saw me as a vibrant young woman.

About 50 wonderful years passed. I lived longer than most humans. In my time with him, I had learned to read and write as well. In English too. That is why I am writing this now. I don't want my idiot husband to forget me after I've gone. I don't have many years left, I can feel it. If I had one regret in my time here, its that we can't grow old together. He has to stand back and watch me age. What has been a lifetime for me has only been a few moments for him. I would have liked to have been able to have children with him, and hold his wrinkled hand in mine.

These are nothing but ridiculous dreams though. No matter how much I love him, he isn't a human. I was doomed to love my nation. Now, I stand back, an old woman, and watch him remain in his youth. I may not have much time left, but I have time for one more story. It takes place not too many years ago. I learned a truth about Luciano that I didn't want to know about. But at the same time, it wasn't his fault.

I was in my late thirties. Me and Luciano were no longer active in bed, and hadn't been for years. I couldn't blame him. I was older, and we both knew it. I looked like I could have been his mother. Luciano, Kuro, Lutz, and I were all in the sitting room. We were talking about a recent trip across the sea to a strange land called Australia. I was so fascinated by the wild life.

In the middle of our conversation, a young new maid tripped and accidentally spilled wine on Luciano. He told her not to worry about it, but she was overwhelmed with guilt. She scurried around, trying to grab napkins and anything to get rid of the drink. He ended up just removing the shirt and going into the kitchens to wash it. As I saw him walking away, I saw the maid with a deep blush on her face. It was like the blush I would get when I first moved it. She was under his spell like everyone else.

Kuro stood up to go help Luciano with the shirt, leaving the two of us alone. After she left the room to retrieve more wine, I heard Lutz laughing. I turned and looked up at him curiously.

"Isn't it funny?" He said quietly/

"I don't understand. What's funny?" I asked him.

"Luciano." He looked down at me. "He is such an idiot." He laughed again. I glared up at him. Luciano was by far one of the most intelligent people I had ever met."He makes people fall in love with them without trying." he continued. "And most of the time, he doesn't even know it." I saw a sad look cross his eyes. It took me only a few moments to understand what he was saying.

"Lutz, do you?... I mean... Are you?" I stuttered out. He let out a quiet laugh.

"Aren't we all in some way?" He stood up. "You are very lucky. He is smart, handsome, sweet... You have one hell of a husband." Lutz looked around the room.

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" I asked. Lutz deserved him more.

"The world doesn't work that way kid." He whispered. He took in a deep breath, as if still trying to accept the fate he had been stuck with for centuries.

"But why? It sounds almost too perfect. You don't have to worry about aging, or dying... you two really could be together forever." I stood up beside him. "It sounds like heaven to me." He put his hand on my shoulder.

"Because... As countries, it is our job to care for the people. We are supposed to be in love with our citizens. That is why you are here. You keep that spark in his heart that keeps all of you alive." he explained. "I was stupid. I abandoned my citizens to be with him, now, I am doomed. I can't go back. I have nothing to go back to. My land became a wasteland as soon as I fell in love with him... I even ended up killing my own brother to be with him. I know he doesn't feel the same because you are still alive. I pray that he doesn't love me back." His voice was quiet as he spoke, yet his words echoed around the room.

"Could the old countries fall in love?" I asked quietly. I don't know why, but I had the sudden urge to know. This was the first time I had ever asked him about his old self.

"Yes... I don't know if it is just a coincidence, but I found some diary entries from my old self. He was talking about strange feelings he had towards old Italy." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old military picture. "That's the fool, right there." He pointed to a young man who looked almost the same, but with crystal blue eyes, and no scar on his cheek. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the picture of old Italy. I don't know how, but it seemed like when I put the pictures together, they were looking at each other.

"Hold on, there is another picture." He pulled out a different picture that looked like Kuro, but, he was happy. There was even a small smile on his face. We put all three of the pictures together. It just looked complete with three. "They called themselves the axis powers. They were in an alliance in something called World War 2. Kind of ironic how Kuro, Luciano, and I came together once again after a war."

"It was meant to be." I smiled down at the pictures. The happy old Italy, the stern old Germany, and the content old Japan. Their smiles seemed like something eternal. They would last forever, no matter how much poverty this world was in. I wish I could escape into the photo and smile with them. But I couldn't. I looked up at Lutz again. This was my world, and I had to live with it.

"Lutz, I am so sorry. I know what it is like to love someone so deeply that you throw away the world for them." My mind flashed to all of those years ago. Luciano saved me. I loved him, but I didn't deserve him. "Lutz, I don't have much longer. I want you to take care of him. You were right, he is an idiot. He needs someone to take care of him." I smiled up at him. I heard him laugh quietly, then, I felt his arms around me.

"I don't know how the hell is going to get along without you kid." I hated it when he referred to me as "kid". I looked twice their age. I knew their youth was nothing but an illusion. I wished I could remain young forever with them. I didn't have anything else in the world. The mansion was the only thing I had left at the moment.

Luciano walked in with the shirt on, and a big purple stain in the middle of it. Me and Lutz looked at him, then each other, then laughed. He looked at us confused, then down at his shirt.

"Damn it." Luciano took the shirt off again and threw it in the trash. "Well, there goes that shirt." He mumbled as he went upstairs to the bedroom. Even though he was completely straight faced, I could tell Kuro was trying hard not to laugh along with us.

I smile every time I think of that day. Now, I am just an old hag. The doctors say I have something called cancer. I don't have much longer. I try to get out of bed as much as possible, but some days it is getting impossible. I am a woman of 76 years. Those years are going to end in a few days, I can feel it. In these few days, I am going to tell one more short story. It was something strange that happened to me a few days ago.

Luciano had been in my room talking to me, as he usually does. That maid called him out of the room for something. A few moments after he left, I felt him walk in the room again. My tired eyes can't see much these days, but I just had a feeling that he came in. I felt a hand grab mine gently, and lips press against them.

"What did the maid want?" I asked quietly. There was no answer. "Luciano?" I turned my head slowly towards my visitor. I smiled when I saw that wild curl. But then, I saw something out of the ordinary. I could have sworn I saw brown eyes looking back at me, not the magenta ones I grew to love.

He kissed my cheek, then stood up and left the room. A few moments later, he walked into the room again. He was mumbling something, upset about some military matters. He sat down beside me. His eyes were magenta once again.

Oh such a long life. It's almost over now. Writing that last part left me exhausted. I think I am going to rest now. Luciano, if you read this, I love you, and thank you for the wonderful ride.

* * *

><p><em>The old woman put down her pencil. She removed her glasses and put them on the nightstand beside her. A young man walked into the room. His ancient eyes rested upon her. <em>

_"Done already?" He said quietly, looking through the long journal. _

_"You wish." The old woman teased. He grabbed her hand and smiled down lovingly. _

_"You should rest now love, you don't want to tire yourself out too much." He said quietly. "Goodnight my jewel." The old woman nodded and closed her eyes with a smile on her face. The young man took a seat. It was time, he could feel it. Another young man entered the room. They looked almost identical. The new young man was almost transparent though. Nobody in the room could see him. He was nothing but a shadow from a forgotten time._

_"Wake up bella." He whispered. He kissed the old woman on the forehead. She gently opened her eyes and smiled. The blurry image of a young man was next to her. _

_"Who are you?" She whispered, afraid she would disturb her husband if she was seen talking to nothing._

_"I am your guardian angel." The young man whispered as he grabbed her hand. He gave her a warm smile as he helped her to her feet. There was something about him. Something familiar and warm. He began to walk out the room with her, but at the last moment she turned around. The other man in the room was crying softly in the chair._

_"What is wrong with Luciano?" She asked quietly. She shuffled over to him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder and a kiss on his cheek. He must have felt it, because he turned and looked in their direction, but never truly at them. _

_"Bella, we need to go, its time." The angel whispered. He grabbed her hands and walked with her out of the house. She felt the weakness leave her legs. She stood up tall, stretching her once shriveled old body. _

_"I haven't seen the sun in so long." She smiled and looked down at her now wrinkle-less hands. The now young woman looked over at her guide. "I know you." She whispered, placing her hand on the side of his face. She knew those happy brown eyes, and that happy carefree smile. _

_"Ciao bella, I have been waiting so long to see you again." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. _

_"Where are we going?" She asked the young man, her hand in his._

_"Home." He smiled. They walked hand in hand down a white road. At the end, was an old forgotten time of happiness, peace, and love. "Welcome to the land the way it was meant to be. Welcome to Italia." He laughed quietly and kissed her gently. _


	8. The Legend Will Continue

_"I don't know what you are talking about. I am not a demon. My name is not Lucifer. I am not the devil." He said quickly. The old man shook his head and held up a small piece of reflective metal. Silence hung in the air once again. The family was tensed up as they looked at the once deceased stranger. He looked at each of them carefully Finally, the young man stared at his reflection. Dark reddish brown hair, tan skin, one odd curl sticking out from the side of his head, and then he saw what the were seeing. His eyes were glowing bright magenta._

**The legend continues. Learn the dark past of Luciano Vargas in**

**Silenzio**


End file.
